One of my favorite non-fiction authors is the late Christian philosophers Francis Schaeffer. I think the main reason that he sits at the top of my non-fiction reading list is because of the fact that he provides ample ‘proof’ for why Christianity must be both believed and believable. Now, while most Christians attempt to provide such proofs from the pages of the Bible, in itself a problem because the proof being proffered is, to some extent, self-referential under this system, Schaeffer provides his evidence from reasoned, rational logic, referring to Scripture occasionally only when validating that his proofs can, indeed, be found within its pages.
Schaeffer has, perhaps, been one of the greatest influences in my own thinking. He recognizes the problem that many people will not acknowledge the authority of Scripture, and so finds ways to present the Gospel in a way that is simple to them from their own worldview and understanding. He demonstrates time and again how every philosophy and worldview is not, and cannot be, completely consistent and so then how each philosophy must crumble beneath its own weight. He then is able to demonstrate how Christianity is not only completely consistent within its own structure but how every man, woman, and child is able to consistenly live it out.
Schaeffer’s writings are heady material. It invariably takes me a fair amount of time to work my way through each book due to the depth and breadth of the knowledge he presents. My plan over the course of the next few weeks is to reread through his core trilogy and share my thoughts that result from that reading. As such, I have created a new category under Philosophy devoted exclusively to the work of Francis Schaeffer. Consider this your introduction to this noted philosopher. ((Incidentally, the three books I will be commenting on can be found in one volume, the The Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy. It is highly recommended reading.))
